


Never to Suffer Would Never to Have Been Blessed

by Fandoms_ruined_me123



Series: Never to Suffer Would Never to Have Been Blessed [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Bruce Wayne Has a Heart, Bruce Wayne Tries to Be a Good Parent, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Canon-Typical Violence, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Kid Dick Grayson, Major Character Injury, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27213499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandoms_ruined_me123/pseuds/Fandoms_ruined_me123
Summary: It was common knowledge across all the kingdoms that Gotham had no tolerance for magic. Even if the guards didn't necessarily uphold the laws that had been deeply ingrained in the society for generations the people did. Ever since he was a child his parents had told him to stay a secret, and he knew what would happen if anyone found out. It was supposed to be a normal performance, well as normal as a performance in front of the nobility of Gotham could be. Little did he know his life would be changed forever. Still, he had to obey his parents, follow the one rule he had always known. Stay secret, stay safe. And he was determined to follow that, no matter the consequences.
Relationships: Alfred Pennyworth & Bruce Wayne, Barbara Gordon & Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson & Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne
Series: Never to Suffer Would Never to Have Been Blessed [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036512
Comments: 8
Kudos: 83





	1. The beginning

**Author's Note:**

> *Title from Edgar Allen Poe
> 
> Ok guys I am so excited about this!!! I have so many ideas and am so excited to share them all with you. I've had this idea for a little while and finally got around to writing this. Fun fact! This story originally started out as a one-shot for Whumptober but then I accidentally created an entire world, magic system, currency, and the likes of that so I realized that I couldn't exactly make it into a one-shot anymore. The plan for this story is to have a couple of chapters for each of the kids. Not exactly sure how long this will be but just by looking at the first chapter I think it's going to be pretty long
> 
> And as always thank you to my beta Elise who is an apathetic worm inside an empty can of clam chowder

People often fear those who they do not understand. They think of those different from them as threats, even if they have never done anything threatening. It is simply their existence that sends others into a state of panic. Of course, there is nothing they can do to change this. They shouldn’t have to change anything about themself to make others feel comfortable, but even if they wanted to they couldn’t. Some wear it like a badge, proud of being who they are without a care of the judgment from others. But some hideaway, all for different reasons but they have the same mindset. Being who you are is dangerous. Dick Grayson always knew he was different. He didn’t see it in himself, and if he were just with his family he wouldn’t have noticed. But the older he got and the more people he saw he came to the realization that he was different. His parents had done all they could to keep his abilities secret. It wouldn’t have been an issue if they had stuck to any of the other kingdoms. Metropolis or Starling, more commonly known simply as Star, were options as well. However, it was not his parents’ place to make a decision that would negatively impact their whole troupe. Gotham was where the best business was. There was less competition due to its less than desirable reputation. They would tour around the kingdom, stopping in every major city along the way. It was also the easiest to travel. Unlike the other cities, Gotham was much smaller, it lacked the expansive fields, and the further from the borders you got the closer the buildings became until it was difficult for any traveler to determine where one ended and the other began. 

Their time in Gotham was spent traveling from place to place and performing. They stayed for about a week in each location before they packed up and traveled once more. It was only when they traveled that Dick could change. His parents viewed it to be too dangerous in the city. There were laws in place to ban all magical beings, but they hadn’t been executed since the old king and queen died in an assassination decades before. Their son, the present king of Gotham, did nothing to end the rules but put no pressure on them being enacted. Instead, he turned his attention to the streets of Gotham. He dedicated his years as king to bringing the city back to its prestigious status it used to hold centuries before. However, while they did not need to fear the guards, there was always the fear that the locals would take the law into their own hands like they had done so many times before. They couldn’t put their son’s life at risk like that so instead, they banned him from shifting in the cities. But banning a shifter from changing form can have deadly consequences. It takes energy to keep their human form, energy that slowly seeps out of them until they fall ill. The energy begins to burn through their calories, leaving nothing for them to use and causing them to go into starvation. And that’s only the best-case scenario. The longer they hold it at bay the more it draws from their life force until eventually, they drop dead.

Dick was seven when he first realized the true reason behind his parent’s actions. They were walking through the city after a show. It was crowded, more crowded than he had seen it before. His hand clutched tightly onto the fabric of his mother's dress as he looked around in awe at the bustling city. The people moved and jostled them around and he nearly lost his grip. They all seemed to be walking the same way. A large river of people all flowing in the same direction. They were only trying to get back to their encampment after a day spent exploring the city. Dick could just barely see the large crowd of people in the square in front of them, but he could hear the yelling. The sheer amount of noise was off-putting, too many voices to make out individual words. Then he saw what they were gathered around. 

In the middle of the mob, there was a wooden stage. He could see the large wooden planks that rose above the heads of the crowd. He could feel his mother stiffened before she took his hand in hers and began to forcefully drag him through the crowd. His faster led the way as they made their way briskly through the crowd in their attempt to reach the other side of the square. Dick turned his head to follow everyone's gaze to the center. Tied to the wood was a boy, his dark hair a striking comparison to his own. Tears ran down his face as the blood trickled from his scalp. Dark purple and brown splotches covered every inch of his visible skin. The crowd’s yells became more aggravated as someone climbed onto the stage. A tall man towered over the boy, his hand gripped his face tightly as he forced it towards him. He stared into the boy’s eyes which were wide with fear before he laughed loudly.

“This scum has been hiding in plain sight for years! You sheltered it, fed it. It leeched off your kindness just waiting for the day before it could kill you!” The tall man shouted to the crowd as the boy sobbed.

“No please I didn’t mean-” A loud slap echoed across the now silent square as his head swung to the side from the impact.

“You do not deserve to speak!” The man screeched, “Don’t try to pretend you’re one of us you filth! Why don’t you shift and show everyone here what you truly are?” 

Dick felt his mother's hand tighten around his as they broke free from the crowd. They all but ran away from the square as Dick glanced behind. He didn’t understand, the boy had been like him. He had never met someone like himself before, but he didn’t understand what the boy had done wrong. He remembered his mother’s words to him, the ones she whispered to him every day before they left their tent, ‘Stay hidden, stay safe,’. They didn’t make sense before but he realized that the boy must not have stayed hidden. His mind became blank with fear. Part of him wanted to leave the city and never return, to hide in his parent’s arms and pretend that none of that had happened. But there was still a part of him that wanted to go back to the square. His curious side wanted to know what would happen to the boy. He lost those thoughts when the screaming started. He never so much as wondered about shifting in public again. 

Dick always thought he was lucky. Sure even at a young age, he knew the risks that came along with him but he still viewed it as a gift. His parents stayed by him and supported him, and while everyone in the troupe knew, they turned a blind eye. His parents attempted to protect him from the dangers that faced him, but he knew. He knew the dangers when his mother pulled him aside before they went into any city and reminded him of the motto that he would never forget. ‘Stay hidden, stay safe’. He viewed himself as lucky because he knew he was only like that because of his parent’s love. There were complications during his mother’s pregnancy, and in their desperation, they traveled across continents for help. They traveled to the one kingdom they knew would provide the aid they so desperately needed. For while they might be appreciated for their talent and entertainment the people of the cities they visited never offered any help. It would also clear they would not provide any. They had no home kingdom and therefore they could not seek help there. Even in the kingdoms where magic was permitted those with abilities almost always refused to help travelers. They claimed that if they helped people from other kingdoms then everyone would come running towards their own. They traveled for a month, using up every last penny to make the voyage as quick as possible, until they finally reached the kingdom of Themyscira. There they found someone willing to help. The Amazons of Themyscira are renowned warriors who turn away all to come to their borders, only letting in those in need, women, and children.

The healer was successful and the delivery went smoothly. However, due to the magic used on her, he was altered for good. Unlike others, he couldn’t shift completely. Instead of those who were born with it, he was merely altered. His parents tried everything they could to get rid of them but to no avail. The most they ever heard was that to remove them they would have to hold him down and cut them off. But that would cause him immeasurable pain and agony and he may not survive the operation. They stopped looking after that.

Dick always hated the city stops. He loved the performances. He loved the crowds that stood side by side, all eager to see their act. They were a diverse group and their talents showed that. Most came for their theater productions. It was almost magical for Dick to watch the people he had known his whole life become someone else in a matter of seconds. Their musicians were rivaled by none and often escaped into town at night to perform in the taverns for extra coin. But the act that kept the crowd in awe were the Flying Graysons. Opposed to the name, they did not fly at all but they might have with the way their feet seemed to barely touch the ground. Their name was what got them into the palaces to perform for the court of the sounding kingdoms. Ask anyone where they had stopped and they would tell stories of wonder about the Flying Graysons. The Grayson name had been well known for years but as the family shrunk and less stayed on with the troupe, there were only three left. The lack of people did not make their act any worse but instead better. He would watch as his parents performed together. Their bodies twisting and turning as they flipped and danced. Two people that came together as one in complete synchrony. But still, Dick hated the city stops.

He rolled his shoulders somewhat uncomfortably. It was only their first full day in the city but he knew that soon his back would start to itch. The itch always came around day two or three. His skin felt like it wanted to peel away and dig out the wings that were buried within. His parents always told him that his wings were beautiful, they called him ‘their little Robin’. It hurt to hide them away. He wanted to reach out and stretch them to their full length, somewhere away from the small and cramped space inside the tent. He longed to feel the wind rustle through the feathers and maybe even learn to fly. But he knew those were only dreams, idealistic dreams of a world he would never have. He had to stay hidden and stay safe. He slipped out of his tent as he buttoned up his shirt expertly. The material was still somewhat stiff and uncomfortable. Dick had wanted to wear his other clothes but he knew they weren’t good enough for this performance. His parents had taken him shopping the day before for nicer clothes, after all, it wasn’t just any day they were to perform in front of nobility. 

He looked around for a moment before he spotted his parents. He started to walk towards them but something caught his eye. Slowly he crept towards the three carriages on the edge of their camp. Carriages were extremely expensive and his parents had told him stories about before their troupe could afford a carriage. They could bring little more than what they had on their back and were forced to spend a majority of their money on inns and lodging. They only used them to carry around their supplies, instead they traveled on horseback. He made his way towards them before he ducked around the back. Dick looked around quickly to make sure no one was watching before he ducked behind the side. He peered around the corner to see two men as they argued quietly. One of them he recognized quickly as the leader of their troupe, C.C Haily. The other man he had seen before in the crowd at past shows. He was large and towered over Haily, his shadow seemed to cover over everything. He was scary, his face was twisted into a sadistic smile as he spoke. 

“That’s all I ask. Only fifty gold and all your problems could be gone,”

“Fifty gold? Are you mad?” Haily spat as he looked around him. Dick ducked as his eyes swept past his hiding spot before the other man continued. 

“I’m only trying to offer my protection. I know there are some certain things about a member of your troupe that you would rather not see the light of day. I could arrange for those to stay a secret,” Dick looked upon in slight confusion as Haily’s face paled. “I’ll give you a day to reconsider. I’m a more powerful man than you think, and something may happen to change your mind,”

“Dick?” Dick jolted away from the carriages as his mother’s voice rang out. As he ran towards her he launched himself onto his hands before he pushed off and landed on his feet once more. She watched him with a smile as he approached. 

“Be careful, you don’t want to rip your new clothes before we get there,” She chastised lovingly as she dusted the dirt off his knees. “It was already hard enough to get you to sit still long enough for one fitting, I don’t want to do that again anytime soon,” 

“That’s our little Robin!” His dad laughed as he bent down and lifted Dick up in his arms to rest him on his hip. “Are you ready for today?” 

“Yeah!” He exclaimed excitedly, all trace of the earlier conversation gone from his mind.

“I heard the king might even be there,” He stared at his mother in awe as she grabbed hold of her husband’s hand and began to lead them into town along with the other members of their troupe. Dick bounced slightly in his father’s arms as he looked around at the city with wide eyes. No matter how many times he had been, there was always something so intriguing about the cities of Gotham. It was crowded and full of people in a way that the other cities couldn’t replicate. It seemed dark and scary to some, but not to him. He saw the rats and long crooked knives people held out in the alleyways, but he also saw the small sweets shop that always gave him a bit extra even when he knew the owners couldn’t afford it. He saw the clothing shop that they had visited only the day before. It might have been naivety but he loved it. 

As they passed through the walls that separated the portion of the city for the commoners and the potion for the nobility his excitement only grew. He had only been inside the walls twice and both times he remembered vividly. Dick pulled at his father's shirt to be put down and immediately started to crane his head up to the buildings. Opposed to the cramped and dirty buildings of the Outerwalls, each building seemed to have a place of its own. Lavish houses and merchant shops sprawled out over the area as the road slowly sloped upwards. The higher they traveled up the incline the larger the houses got until they ended up at the gates of the palace itself. As the others entered through the large open doors his mother paused. She pulled him aside as she signaled for his father to continue in.

“Dick I need you to listen to me,” He was shocked at her serious tone as she bent down to his eye level. “If there is ever a time to remember our rule, it is now. The people in there can be very nice or very dangerous. Whatever you do you must not break that rule, do you understand me?” 

“Yes,” He nodded as she leaned forward and pressed her lips gently against his forehead. She pushed herself off her knees as she stood to her feet before reaching out to take his hand.

“Now let's go find your father before he gets into any more trouble,” He grabbed her hand with a smile as they walked through the doors. He looked around in awe at the lush green grass that grew on the other side of the walls. The vivid green color was a drastic change from the dark city only downhill from them. The only grass was that on the outskirts of the lower city where they had set up camp. Once the buildings began, all types of life were crushed out. They barely produced enough food on the farms near the borders to feed a third of their population, so they were forced to import food from the other countries in the Justice League Alliance. He looked up at the large gray castle in front of them. The overcast sky protected his eyes from the sun as he looked up at the towers that shot upwords. As they followed the path that led through the grass, he could see the guards that stood on the castle walls and he walked closer to his mother. Even if they were supposed to be there to protect him, he knew they wouldn’t. He had seen as the guards watched the boy from years ago be burned alive, they didn't even so much as move from their position. It almost seemed as if given the chance they would be the one holding the torch. No matter how much Dick might admire the knights he was still afraid of the guards. 

He hadn’t gotten a chance to see the full inside of the palace as his mother led him through the large corridors before they reached their room. They had gotten there before the guests to prepare and set up. His parents had lit up at the sight of a beautiful balcony that overlooked the castle grounds and he knew that was where they were going to perform. They always seemed to look for the most beautiful places to perform, and they had just found it. The room was expansive, their whole troupe only took up a small corner. There was a full wall of glass panes along the balcony. The balcony itself was beautiful. Dick smiled as his father's hand ran over his mother's lovingly. He had only heard stories about where they had gotten married, but from the stories he had heard that balcony seemed to resemble it perfectly. His mother shooed her husband away gently as he crossed over to the remainder of their troupe who had begun practicing their lines and songs. 

“Stay a secret, stay safe,” She whispered gently as she gave him a tight hug. He knew what she meant, by then that phrase could have just been their way of saying goodbye. Then they started to prepare.   
Dick sat off to the side of the packed room as the rest of the troupe began to perform. Usually he would perform along with his parents but they didn't want too much attention being brought to him from the high nobility. It was dangerous enough with him even being there and even if there was the slight chance that someone could go wrong during the performance they couldn’t risk him being exposed. His attention wandered from the actors as he looked around at the people around him. The people laughed along with their jokes but he knew better than to think they were equals. Everyone knew the Gotham nobility was notorious for looking down on anyone they view as lesser than them, well all except the king, of course. If anyone from another kingdom were to describe him they would practically be describing a monster. A man with a cold resolve, a king from a kingdom of crooks and murderers. He hadn’t been king for long so the effect he would have on the kingdom was not yet known. But as he scanned the crowd he saw the man.

Dick nearly stood up in shock as he saw the man from earlier as he stood in the back. The memories of the conversation he overheard came back to him as he stared in shock. He smiled his terrible, menacing smile as he watched them perform. Dick wanted to alert someone or call for the guards but he didn't. The man had seemed threatening enough before but there was still the realistic probability that he was a member of the Gotham nobility. If he called the guards on him then he would get them all removed immediately. Still there was something about how he stayed close to the wall in the back that unnerved Dick. It seemed almost as if he was trying to not be noticed. If he was, then he was doing an amazing job because no one even batted an eye. However, there were too many people to count in the room so even if he wasn’t supposed to be there, there wasn’t anyone to notice. He kept a close eye on the man so when he saw him begin to make his way out of the room, Dick followed close behind. 

He maneuvered his way around people as he made his way to the back wall before he sped out, careful to stay close to the ground to not draw any attention from his parents. He followed the man down the hallway, his loud footsteps echoed off the walls and made it easy for Dick follow him out of sight. He navigated through the castle hallways silently. He couldn't help but notice that there was not a single guard or knight to stop them. Whatever the man was doing he knew how to do it well. He followed him down a large spiral staircase and out into a patio below. He ducked behind the doorway as he looked up at the piece of building that was casting a dim shadow in the dull lighting. He could hear the music of his parents’ dance as it flowed out through the open balcony. Dick smiled softly to himself as he could barely see them through the open window. The man stood off to the side, his head jerked around quickly to see if there was anyone coming before he removed two vials from his jacket pocket. 

Drops of rain began to lightly fall from the sky but he paid them no mind, his full attention stuck on the bottles the man was holding. He looked up again to see his parents as they began to walk out onto the balcony to finish their performance, not even phased by the rain in the slightest as they spun and flipped. Dick looked down at the man before up at his parents again as the man poured one of the vials into the other. Quickly, and before he even had time to recognize what was going on the man took off running and then he heard the noise. A loud crack split through the air as he heard people began to scream from above him. He watched in horror as the balcony his parents had been standing on began to tip, a large crack appeared as it separated from the rest of the building. 

Everything rang, Dick looked out from his sanctuary of the wall and he seemed to go numb. He wasn’t sure when he started moving all that he knew was that he was. He coughed as his desperate gasps for air only let in dust. The stone shifted and moved under his feet as he fell. His knees scraped blood across the dust covered stone. His eyes trained up from his own blood as he followed the streaks of red up to their original source. Then, he began to scream. His lungs burned and ached, but still he continued to scream. Still everything continued to ring, a high pitched frequency that seemed to muffle everything else as well. He couldn’t even feel the rain as it pelted against his back. His eyes fixated on what was in front of him as he hovered over the broken body of his mother. The arms that used to hug him now lay twisted and contorted. Bone stuck through her once soft skin as blood traced patterns across her skin. Blood that mixed with the rain and bathed everything it touched in red. His hands stained red as he clutched her face desperately. Her eyes stared up into his, wide open but unmoving. 

He quickly moved across the stone to see his father as he lay next to her. A large piece of stone between but above that their fingers still interlocked. His tears mixed with the rain and the blood, everything was red. He grabbed his father's free hand in his as he collapsed over his mother's body. Her skin was cold and slick from the rain but still warm. His head found its way into the crook of her neck like he had always done. It felt wrong, it wasn’t the right shape. It used to be just the perfect size for him to rest his head on but now it was wrong, it was all wrong. He could feel as his wings slowly started to uncurl from his back but he didn’t care. He had already lost everything, what more was there even for him to lose? But as he leaned up to fully release them he caught sight of her eyes once more he remembered one of the last things she had said to him. 

“Stay secret, stay safe,” Quickly he forced them to fold back up until they faded into nothingness. He sat there for what seemed to be an eternity. His hands in both of theirs as they still held hands. He sat with them numbly, the tears poured down his face and mixed with the rain as if the sky was mourning along with him. He had stopped screaming, had he ever started screaming? He knew at one point he had stopped screaming and started begging but when that moment was he didn’t know. He begged them to wake up, to not leave him. They didn’t move. 

He felt a strong hand on his shoulder but he ignored it, his full attention still on his parents. Their faces frozen in a look of horror forever. The hand began to slowly guide him away from their bodies but he fought back. He tried with everything he could to stay with them before he felt someone kneel down behind him. They didn’t say anything, or if they did he didn’t listen. He felt the hand move down to his arm as it tugged against him gently. Slowly he turned his head only to see someone he had only seen in paintings. The king crouched next to him, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Dick with a face full of concern. His other hand gently peeled his mother's fingers out of his grasp and he found he no longer had the energy to fight back. He felt as the king helped him to his feet before he was lifted into the air gently. Dicks head leaned against the man's chest as he was carried away. As he was carried away from everything and everyone he had.


	2. Magic, Murder, and Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Bruce found out there was going to be a performance at the castle he was intrigued, but he could have never imagined it would go the way it did. The young boy reminded him so much of himself it almost hurt. He knew that it wasn't his place but he still had to do something. However, there is something much darker that stirs underneath the surface. Murder and magic within the castle walls is never good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I am going to attempt to keep a schedule with this fic. I've never done that before so bear with me. I'm planning on updating every Sunday....yes I know that I've already missed a couple of days but I was doing Whumptober stuff. Also, I just started reading the We Are Robin series and it's so good! I started to read it because I didn't want to mess up Duke's character in this fic (Because yes this is a Batfam fic which means Duke, Cass, and Steph) but it's so good!!! I would highly recommend it. I also ended up making another entire AU where it's the core four Young Justice members but as the Outlaws so I may end up writing that along with this fic......Who knows? Not me that's for sure! Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy this! 
> 
> And as always thank you to my amazing beta Elise who is the empty coke can that your mom keeps telling you to take out of your room but it's been there for so long now that you don't even realize it. How long has that can been there? When did you even drink it? You don't drink Coke, where did the can come from? God oh god where did the can come from?

When Bruce had heard that the Flying Graysons were performing in the castle he was genuinely surprised. It had been a long time since a troupe performed for the Gotham nobility. Those who were good enough were too terrified to step foot into Gotham and there was none else who was talented enough. Every time they came to perform the people of Gotham were sure that it would be the last, but they kept coming back. However, they had never performed in the castle. He expected to be in awe at the amazing things he had only heard about. He expected to be staring in amazement at them, not staring in horror. It was in the middle of their dance when they walked out onto the balcony. It was stable, they all knew it was, but somehow it broke off. Everyone looked upon in horror, they didn’t even have time to scream as the two disappeared over the edge. Immediately Bruce shot towards the door and began to run down to the courtyard below. He was sure that there was nothing he could do, but still he ran.

His heart almost stopped at the sight. The cement had fallen and crashed to the ground below. It seemed to almost have made an altar and perched on top were the Graysons. Their bodies were mangled and twisted from the fall and the broken building around them. The young boy he had seen from earlier kneeled above them. His head tucked into his mother’s chest as he held her close. Sobs wracked his small frame as he pulled himself up. His hands grabbed his parents tightly as he began to beg. Bruce stared in shock at the young boy and it almost seemed as if he wasn’t there anymore. Instead, he was on a backroad inside the walled town. His hands clutched in his parent’s hands as they lay lifeless on the floor. His feet moved forward before he could process what he was doing. The rain poured down and plastered his hair to his head as he slowly crossed to the rubble. No one dared to follow him. He saw the knights as they stood around the edge of the courtyard. They watched him closely as he approached the boy, as if they didn’t know what to do or were waiting for him to move so they could retrieve the bodies. In all reality, it was most likely a mix of the two. 

He knelt down to the boy and placed a hand hesitantly on his shoulder. The boy jumped slightly at the sudden movement but he didn’t turn his gaze from his parents for a second. Slowly he knelt down beside the boy as his hand moved down to his forearm. Bruce knew first hand about how agonizing the pain is of having to leave your parents, especially if you personally watched their death. But he also knew that the pain would only increase the longer he stayed. He tugged gently on his arm to get his attention. His eyes shot up to meet Bruces and he watched as realization spread across his face. He stared at Bruce with wide eyes, they were full of surprise but also fear. He gently pried the boy’s fingers out of his mother’s hand. He was surprised at how easy it was, but it was clear that he had given up. 

Bruce held on to his shoulders as he gently helped him to his feet. He watched with concern as he swayed slightly. Bruce didn’t even try letting him walk before he picked him up. His skin was cold and clammy from the frigid rain and he gently rested his head against Bruce’s chest. He couldn’t tell if it were on purpose or involuntary but Bruce couldn’t help but smile slightly at the way the boy curled into him. The crowd in the doorway parted widely to let him through. He couldn’t tell if it was because he was the king, the boy, or the fact that they were both soaked and created puddles with every step. He quickly strode through the castle until he had reached his living quarters. Before he opened the door he watched as a servant disappeared around the corner. 

“Excuse me!” He called out and she quickly turned the corner and began to walk towards him somewhat hesitantly. “I don’t believe I have seen you around here before. Are you new?”

“Yes, your majesty,” She stuttered out as she stared at the floor. 

“What is your name?” Her eyes shot up to his as she looked at him with confusion.

“Julia,” 

“Ok, Julia, here is what I need you to do. I need you to go fetch a pair of clothes for this boy,” She nodded quickly and sped off down the hallway once more. He slowly entered the room, careful to not bump the child into the doorframe. He carried him over to a chair and slowly lowered him into it, however the boy’s hands were firmly clasped around his shirt. 

“I need to go get you a blanket, I don’t want you to get sick,” He explained as his fingers slowly uncurled until he sat down in the chair. Bruce quickly crossed over to his bed, he didn’t hesitate for a moment before he dragged the spare blanket that lay at the foot of his bed. He wrapped the blanket around the boy who seemed to drown in the massive folds on fabric. Bruce slowly lowered himself to the ground as he kneeled next to the boy whose eyes were fixed on a spot on the floor. 

“Hello, my name is Bruce. What is yours?” The question hung in the air for an uncomfortable amount of time before Bruce heard him speak. If he hadn’t paid as much attention to him, he might not have heard it. 

“Richard,” Bruce smiled as the boy continued to speak quietly. “But I go by Dick,”

“And how old are you, Dick?”

“I’m eight,” Bruce inhaled sharply as the boy mumbled. He was older when his parents had died, he couldn’t even imagine going through that same pain but younger. To think that this was his introduction to the world made his heart ache. As he opened his mouth again to speak, the door opened suddenly. 

“Master Bruce, where did-” The older man's question broke off as he glanced from the boy back up to Bruce. In his arms were a small pile of neatly folded clothes. He walked forward before he shut the door behind him quietly and crossed the room to the two. 

“Dick, this is Alfred. Alfred, this is Dick,” Bruce introduced the two as Alfred eyed him questioningly. “Would you draw a bath for him? I think getting him warmed up again would be good,” He looked over to Dick who hesitantly nodded, his head barely moved as he continued to stare at the ground. 

“Well you may come this way, Master Dick,” Alfred said gently as he gestured to a sectioned off part of the room. After a moment Dick shuffled out of the chair. His movements were sluggish as his responses were delayed slightly. Bruce slowly stood up as he watched the boy move sluggishly across the room, the long blanket trailed on the ground behind him. 

“I’ll be back,” Bruce said quietly as he laid a hand on Alfred’s shoulder. “I need to go talk to the guard about what happened and the rest of the troupe,” And with that, he began to walk briskly out of the room.

By the time that he had reached down to the courtyard again, their bodies had already been removed. The red stains from where they lay formed puddles from the rain. The onlookers had long gone back to their homes and the only people who still milled around were those from the guard. As he walked towards the pile of rubble he looked up to where the balcony used to be. A hand over his eyes to shield him from the rain as he squinted upwards, still careful about where he placed his steps. The cobblestone was slick from rain and chunks of stone were littered around haphazardly. As he approached the pile he could see that most of the evidence of the horrendous feat had been washed away. However, while the bodies were removed the image of them sprawled across the stone was burned into all of their eyes. Bruce quickly made his way back inside when he spotted the man he had been looking for, not eager to spend much longer out in the rain and desperate for knowledge. He turned up the corridors as he approached the room where they had performed. He quickly crossed the room until he stood next to the man he had been looking for.

“Gordon, what can you tell me?” Bruce asked as he looked down at the sharp, jagged edges of stone. Jim took a deep breath as he only shook his head.

“Nothing,” He reported as he sighed slightly. “Everything seems to point to a normal accident. The edges had eroded and the extra weight plus strong winds caused it to break free,”

“Is there a second option?” Bruce asked as he bent to touch the stone. “There is something else you’re not telling me,”

“There's no evidence of anything, but I do doubt that this could have occurred without the use of magic. Bullock thinks I’m looking too far into it but something doesn’t sit right with me,” He said as he shook his head. “Where did you take the boy?”

“He is getting cleaned up in my chambers. Alfred is with him,”

“He was the first one there and we believe he watched them fall. If there are any magical forces at play he would be the one to know,” Jim’s fingers fidgeted with his hilt slightly as he spoke. As one of the oldest knights and the captain of the guard, he had seen first hand what magic was capable of. It was something the older man had become weary of decades before. Due to it being outlawed in the kingdom, the kind he would run across was the exact reason his father had set the law. 

“You can speak with him later. He’s very shaken at the moment, he will answer your questions but now is not a good time. He needs a moment to process,” There was a moment of silence as Jim inhaled deeply before he looked over at Bruce.

“You’re taking this hard aren’t you,”

“A young boy watched his parents die in front of him. I can’t help but feel as if there is something I can do,” Bruce said as he kneeled down near the edge. His finger ran along the rough stone.

“You had no way of knowing what was going to happen. None of us did,” Suddenly Bruce looked up at him, his hand halted on its path along the sharp cement. 

“Dick was in the room at the beginning of the show than for some reason he left and went down to the courtyard. Something, or someone, make him do that,” He stood up sharply, careful to not topple over the edge as he dusted off his pants lightly. “We need to find out if he was alone. Shouldn’t there have been a guard on the side of the room and in the courtyard?”

“I had men all over the area,” Jim nodded as Bruce began to cross the room again. 

“Go find who was there and see if they saw anything!” 

“Where are you going?” Bruce paused to turn over his shoulder as he stood in the doorway. 

“I am going to go talk with the troupe,” 

The talk went nowhere near what he had expected. When he had heard from the guards that they were already back to their encampment on the edge of town he rushed over as fast as he could. He knew it was not his place and that there was no reason for him to care, but he had to make sure that Dick would have a place to go. It wasn’t every day that he witnessed something like that, and he knew he had to do something. Ever since he had taken the throne from the council that was leading the kingdom in his absence, he had strived to make changes. There was so much about the country that needed help. It had fallen apart over the years and the council had only added to the class disparity and crime. Bruce dedicated all he could to help others, but still, with every day that passed, he felt as if he could be doing something more. So when he saw the Graysons fall he knew he had to act. He knew that the reason he had survived the pit his parent’s absence had created in the kingdom and in his life was Alfred. The knight who had acted as his parents’ advisor had all but raised him, and when they died he took him as if Bruce were his own. He had to make sure that the boy would have someone to take him in like Alfred had.

Bruce almost traveled back to the castle as fast as he had rode down. Anger seethed off of him as the man's words repeated over and over in his head. When he had finally tracked down the man who ran the troupe and explained the situation he only sighed. The man, who he believed to be named C.C Haly, fidgeted with his hat as he dipped his head respectfully. Haly told Bruce that they were planning on leaving as soon as possible and that they weren’t taking Dick with them. He claimed they didn’t have enough supplies to support him without the income of his parents but Bruce knew there was something else, something he refused to tell him. Bruce looked around in shock at the fully packed carriages ready to leave town. They all averted their gaze. Bruce was used to that, but that was different. They didn’t look away because of his royal status, they looked away out of guilt. No one else spoke.

When he rode through the gates into the castle, he quickly leaped off his horse. His eyes caught on the small bundle that sat just inside the walls. If he had not been looking for it he would have missed it completely. He bent down carefully and picked it up. Haly had told him that he had dropped all of Dick’s belongings off at the castle gate. Bruce was unsure about what he was to expect but it wasn’t this. The boy hardly had anything, although when someone traveled as much as they did there wasn’t much room for items. He gently wrapped the small bundle up in his arms as he led his horse by the reins back to the stables. His mind raced with questions and possibilities. He knew how dangerous the city could be for a young child, much less one without someone to take care of them. The orphanages overflowed with children and a large majority of them preferred to risk it on the streets anyway. By the time he made it back to his chambers, there were guards stationed at either side of the door. He nodded to them momentarily before he gently pushed the doors open. 

“Master Bruce,” Alfred greeted him as he entered the room before shutting the door gently behind him. The conversation cut off as Jim looked up at Bruce from where he was kneeling on the ground. Dick was back in the chair, his dark hair still wet from the bath. He still curled in on himself but seemed much more responsive to questions than he had been before. As he sat he seemed to almost subconsciously lean away from Jim who was crouched next to him. Bruce held out the small parcel to Alfred who looked at it with slight confusion.

“Dicks belonging,” He explained softly. Quiet enough that Dick could not hear. He had already gone through so much that Bruce didn’t have the heart to tell him he had been abandoned by the other members just yet. As Alfred moved to place the bag on the other side of the bed Jim stood up slowly and began to walk towards Bruce. 

“Could we talk?” Bruce nodded before he headed back towards the door and Jim followed closely behind. As they stepped out into the hallway Jim looked around the corner briefly before he turned back to Bruce. 

“I wasn’t going to talk to the boy this soon after but we found something,” Jim said in hushed whispers.

“What was it,” Bruce asked as he glanced over his shoulder as well.

“There was no way that the balcony could have fallen naturally. Only minutes before they arrived Bullock had been up there to make sure the room was ready for them. He said that he stepped in some sort of puddle that ran along the middle of the balcony where it separated from the wall but he didn’t think much of it,” 

“A puddle?” Bruce asked, “There hadn’t been any rain before,”

“Exactly,” He looked Bruce directly in the eyes as he spoke. “Bullock got some of the liquid on his shoe. When the balcony fell somehow the liquid was still on his shoe and it completely ate through the leather and the stone he was standing on! You could see his footsteps because it ate through the stone there too,”

“Is he alright?”

“The bottom of his foot is in pretty bad shape. He was sent straight to Tompsinks and she thinks he’ll be fine as long as it doesn’t get an infection,” Jim said as he ran a hand through his hair with worry. “It could have been much worse,”  
“If it wasn’t activated when it was first poured then that means…” Bruce trailed off slightly. He didn’t have to finish his sentence, they both knew what he meant. Ever since his grandfather had outlawed magic they had come across more violent cases of it. The healers and those who wanted to use their gifts to help had fled to the neighboring kingdoms. All that remained were either those who thought they could stay hidden or those who sought destruction. Some were far more vocal than others but none of them matched this act. The closest would be a woman who the city people called Poison Ivy, however she made sure the people she attacked knew it was her and why she had done it. 

“The boy saw something,” Jim broke the silence that had fallen over the two as Bruce’s eyes filled with concern. “There was a man who he had overheard threatening Haly, the man who was in charge of the troupe,”

“I know him,” Bruce said coldly as even though Jim’s eyes lit up with curiosity he didn’t press him further. 

“He then saw the man watching the performance. When he left the room Dick decided to follow him. He hid while the man stood in the courtyard and mixed to vials together before he took off running. The balcony fell only moments later,”

“Are you familiar with any sort of magic that could do this?” Bruce asked but Jim only shook his head. 

“I only know what I’ve encountered and I’ve never seen anything like this,”

“I’ll have a talk with Alfred, see if he knows anything about this,” They lapsed into another silence before Bruce exhaled slowly and looked to the floor for a moment. 

“The troupe has left town,”

“The troupe did what?” Jim hissed as he glanced back at the door before he lowered his voice. “They left without him?”

“Yes, and we can’t send him to an orphanage because we don’t know the man’s true motives. He may come back for Dick, and he is our only hope of catching this man,” Jim hesitated as he looked at Bruce with intrigue.

“What do you suggest?”

“I think he should stay here, at the castle that is. There are more than enough rooms and some near Alfred and mine. He has nowhere to go, why not have him stay here?” Bruce said, the words left his mouth before he had time to fully think them through. But he didn’t regret them. They seemed almost natural, as if he had been expecting to say them this whole time. He felt almost as if he had been thinking this since he had approached Dick the first time. 

“Bruce, do you really think you are ready to raise a child?” Jim said in disbelief.

“To be perfectly honest, I have no idea,” Bruce paused slightly before he continued. “But I don’t know if I have a choice. When my parents died I had you and Alfred. Dick has no one. I have to do all I can,”

“And what if Dick doesn’t want to stay?”

“We can start it out with having him here until the investigation is over. If all goes well then I’ll invite him to stay here. This way if I realize I am not suitable to raise him I don’t have to rip him out of somewhere he thought was a home,” Jim stared at him for a second more before he shook his head slightly as he smiled. 

“How can I help?”

“Dick will need a friend,” Bruce said hesitantly. “He needs someone his age he can talk to,”

“I think Barbara is around his age if that’s what you’re asking?” Jim offered as he nodded slightly. “She has been having issues with making friends,”

“She’s a nice girl, Jim, and extremely smart as well,” He said before he laughed slightly. “And if you don’t bring her to meet him I think she will come meet him herself!”

“You know she would,” They stood in silence for a moment before Bruce took a deep breath. As he exhaled he nodded to Jim before he turned back towards the room. He ran a hand through his hair as he inhaled deeply. He knew it wasn’t his place and that he had already done so much. But still, he couldn’t help but feel as if he was meant to do this. He spent so much time attempting to help people and now there is a person right in front of him to help, a person who has been through what he had but didn’t have the same support. Bruce knew this wouldn’t be easy but he had to try. And as he exhaled, he pushed the door open.


	3. Of bad life decisions and murderers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The constant pain surges through Dick with every step but he has no other choice. Stay hidden and in pain or dead, the choice is simple. However, things get somewhat less simple when he recognizes a familiar form leaving the castle. With no other option but to follow the man who killed his parents, he faces up against a danger he hadn't anticipated. Maybe he should have called for the guards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe yeah, this is a bit later than I had expected. I hit a huge writer's block about halfway through this chapter and ended up writing around it and the entire next chapter. Also, speech season is up in full swing and I have tournaments about every week which is a lot of fun but also very time-consuming. Also, my girlfriend invited me to play D&D with some of her friends which is super fun and exciting, over zoom of course. All that to say that I am still fully invested in this story even if updates may be a little slower. I am trying to aim for a chapter a week still, updating on Sundays, so we'll see how that goes in the upcoming week. I love every single one of you, your comments and kudos mean the world to me <3.  
> Here is my tumblr if you want to go check that out. I always love when people ask questions about my writing and stuff like that so through an ask or dm I'd love to talk with you guys   
> username: capttain-emo  
> And as always thank you to my amazing beta Elise who I can always count on to identify which version of me is the real one and which is the android I have been replaced with.

Dick was tired, that was the best way to put it. Every waking moment he was exhausted, and when he closed his eyes all he could see were his parent’s lifeless bodies. But it wasn’t just the lack of sleep that was getting to him, he simply felt sluggish. They told him that it was normal and that he was mourning, he only wanted it to stop. He wanted to have energy again, he wanted his parents back, but both of those things seemed to be impossible. His clothes seemed to hang off of him and the awe he once held to the beautiful building had faded. A weight seemed to sit atop his chest every time he attempted to get up. His limbs felt as if their sole purpose was to drag him down. He was tired, and everything around him seemed wrong. The bed he laid in was too big, it seemed like every night he would become trapped in the sea of cloth. The clothes he had been given were too stiff. They reminded him of the clothes he wore that day and he couldn’t bear to wear them. Instead, he stuck to the clothes he had for years. Part of him felt bad for wasting the money, the clothes had to be expensive, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He longed for something familiar in the strange reality that had become his life. The scent of his parents lingered on his clothes but it faded with every day that passed. 

There were few emotions that could penetrate the shroud of darkness he seemed to have been enveloped in. He was numb for the first few days, he desperately wanted it to end but when it did he wanted it back. Numbness would be a better companion than the all-consuming despair that washed over him. There were a few times he felt something that was closer to happiness. A girl named Barbara, or Babs as he called her, came to see him often. He had been too trapped in his thoughts when she introduced herself that he had only heard half of her name. He spent the rest of the day calling her by the wrong name but when he found out and tried to fix it she wouldn’t let him. He liked it when she came around. There weren’t any other children in the troupe, the closest to his age had been almost five years older than him. She showed him around the castle grounds had even asked him to teach her some of his tricks. When he was with her the fog that hovered over him seemed to dissipate, even if it was only for a second. He felt like he could trust her, that she would be a safe person to tell. He kept having to remind himself who her father was, the captain of the guard. Besides, if he stayed hidden he’d stay safe. 

He didn’t understand Bruce, the man seemed to be a mystery. Babs often came around when her dad came to the castle. They were cautious and careful to make sure that the mysterious man would not come back for Dick even though after two weeks there had been no sign of him. If Babs came to the castle often then it made sense that she would want to talk with him. Alfred looked after him most, likely because he was told to. Although Dick could not understand what his place in the castle was. He seemed to follow the king’s orders but had also been seen challenging them when he deemed fit. He hadn’t seen enough nobility to know for sure but no one else even dared talk to the king the same way he did. They also seemed to have a bond, if he hadn’t known better he would have assumed the two were related. However, Alfred looked after him because he was told to. Dick didn’t know where the king, where Bruce, fit into everything. He could figure out why everyone else interacted with him, but Bruce was too complicated. Any time not spent taking care of his other obligations was spent with him. Bruce ate with him and even talked with him before bed. It was strange to see the king like that, but Dick didn’t mind it. What he did mind was the pain. 

His eyes scrunched up tightly as he inhaled sharply. The itching in his back had long turned into a sharp pain. It felt as if someone had taken a knife down his back and was working to pull the flesh away. He blinked the tears out of his eyes as he struggled to catch his breath. It was the worst pain he had ever felt but still, he clenched his teeth together tightly. For a moment he considered giving in and uncurling his wings. Then the boy's screams filled his memories, still as loud and agonizing as they were the day all those years before. Dick knew his options. He could either bite through the pain that seemed to become more aggravated with every step or it would be him up on the pyre. 

“Dick? Are you alright?” He glanced up as Babs approached him quickly, her shoes wet from the grass that was still soaked from the morning’s rain. 

“I’m fine,” He said as he waved a hand aimlessly towards her. She paused next to him, her eyes full of concern. He put a hand on his knee as he forced himself to stand up straight. His back protested painfully as he stretched it out. “I think I just slept weird,”

“If you say so. It just looked like you were in a lot of pain from here,” As he turned to face her his eyes drifted over her shoulder to the movement behind her. His eyes focused as her voice drifted to the back of his head. His heart pulsed in his ears loudly as his eyes widened. Before he had time to realize what he was doing he quickly crossed the small stretch of grass to the gate. He could faintly hear Babs voice as she called out to him quietly but he didn’t stop. The guard paused for a moment before he begrudgingly allowed Dick to pass. 

“Dick, what are you doing?” Dick held up a finger to his lips as he crouched down slightly. His eyes still trained on the man who walked down the stretch of road back towards the town. He thought he recognized him back inside the walls but he hadn’t gotten the chance to see for sure, but now that he had looked longer he was absolutely certain. The mysterious man who had caused him the most pain he had ever felt had just stepped out of the castle like he had never done a single thing wrong. Babs paused as her eyes followed his. 

“That's him,” His voice came out in a hoarse whisper as he blinked back tears. She stared at him for a moment, her lips slightly parted as she looked back to the man. 

“Are you sure?” She asked, but it came out more like a statement. Her voice was devoid of all confusion or even suspicion. They both knew he wouldn’t be able to forget that man's face. Dick didn’t have to answer as they both stared at the man as he walked further and further away. Suddenly Dick straightened out his back as almost doubled over from pain. Black dots danced across his vision as he pressed his hand on Babs shoulder to steady himself. He faintly heard as she began to call out for the guards before he clamped a desperate hand over her mouth.

“Don’t,” He warned as she shifted slightly to look down at him.

“Dick you need help!”

“If you call for the guards he could run,” He stated as he gently pried himself off of her. The world around him spun slightly as he inhaled deeply before he looked back at her with determination. “We have to follow him,”

“That’s insanity,” 

“Think about it! If we call for the guards now they won’t catch him in time. We have to follow him, that's our only chance at getting him,” Babs stared at him, her lips pursed as he could see her as she visibly considered every equation. 

“The meeting with the knights will be ending soon. They’ll come looking for us if they were not there,” 

“Then they come looking for us! He was doing something in the castle and if we don’t get him now we might not ever!” Dick cried out quietly. His voice shook slightly as he pictured his parent's lifeless bodies as they lay strewn across the broken stone. 

“What do we do when we get there?” Babs asked hesitantly. Dick fiddled with his shirt for a moment as the man got further and further away with every moment that passed. 

“I’ll figure that out later. I’m going with or without you, are you coming?” He finally asked firmly, his eyes full of determination as he clenched his fists. 

“You don’t know a thing about the Gotham streets,” Babs stated as she crossed her arms. “And we’re kids. You’d get eaten up if I didn’t come with you,” 

Dick looked over at her in surprise before they took off down the road, their feet as silent as they could make them as they followed behind the man carefully. They kept a short distance behind him, only before forced to duck out of the way and behind a building a handful of times. The cracks in the road grew bigger as they left the lavish houses behind as they navigated through the grimy and dark streets of the lower city. He stuck close to Babs the further they got. The streets that had once seemed friendly now only served to fill him with terror. He couldn’t see the sweet shop, he didn’t even know which part of town that was. But what he could see were the men who stood in the alleyways, sharp metal blades glinted in the sunlight that was almost completely hidden away by clouds. His parents weren’t there to hide him from the truth and he saw, for one of the first times, the true darkness of the city. Babs didn’t so much as flinch as they traversed through the streets, her demeanor had changed from the bold and firm girl he knew until she matched the other children who scrounged on the streets. Dick found himself wondering how many times she had snuck out of her small home on the lower city limits to explore the city.

Throughout the whole time, he kept his eye on the man. He took them around corners and through the streets until he eventually turned off on a small side street. They ducked behind the corner as he glanced around quickly and when they peered back he had slipped through a small side door of one of the houses. The door swung quickly shut behind him and the street went silent once more. The two looked at each other before they slowly followed behind. Buildings loomed overhead on either side of them as they crept through the small street. They slowly approached the door before they looked at each other.

“What now?” Babs whispered as Dick chewed on his lips slightly.

“You go and find a guard,” She stared at him, outrage clear as day in her eyes as they burned into him. 

“You want me to leave you here? Are you insane?” He narrowly missed a fist to the head as she gesticulated wildly. She wiped away a strand of hair that had drifted into her open mouth. 

“Yes?” Dick said weakly before he cleared his throat slightly. “One of us needs to go get the guards now that we know where he is,”

“Why don’t both of us go get the guards?” 

“Because then if he leaves we won’t know!” She stared at him as silence enveloped them for a moment more before she huffed exasperatedly and pushed herself to her feet, her arms crossed over her chest tightly. “Don’t do anything stupid,”

He watched as she turned around and ran out towards the street, her feet almost silent on the hard stone road. His eyes followed her until she rounded the corner and disappeared from his line of sight. Slowly he turned his attention back to the door. His palms felt clammy as he clenched them together tightly. He wanted to throw open the door and rush in there, make the man pay for what he had done, but there was nothing he could do. He knew it would be hopeless to take the man head-on and, no matter how much he disliked it, the best course of action would be to stay put. Suddenly, he heard footsteps from inside the house as they began to walk towards the door. He barely had time to scramble out of the way before the door flung out to where he had been only moments before. His heart pounded in his chest as he ducked behind the open door. He knew he only had moments before the door swung shut again and he would be completely exposed but there was nothing he could do. There was nothing near him to hide behind, he could just hope that the man would turn his back to him before he walked away and ignore him crouched to the side of the street. 

His face only inches away from the wooden door before it swung back into place. He watched in horror as the man stood only a foot away from him. His black coat draped down to his knees. Dick crouched close to the wall as he stared at his back. Slowly he turned away from the door and began to walk back out the way that he had come. His heart pounded in his ears as he felt the cold, damp stone underneath his fingertips. Suddenly he leaped to his feet, even as every fiber of his being screamed at him to stay put he knew he had to do something. He couldn’t let him get away, not this time.

“Hey!” His voice squeaked out as he jumped slightly. The man whipped around as Dick stiffened. A menacing smile spread across his face as he stalked towards Dick.

“Now what do we have here? The little brat from the castle. Dick, was it?” He nodded tensely as the man towered over him, he stumbled over his feet as he stepped backward, but managed to keep his balance. 

“Who are you?” The man froze for a second before he laughed. The laugher bounced off the walls, devoid of any pleasant emotion. 

“Tony Zucco,” He said as he extended a calloused hand, “Nice to meet you, again,” Dick stared at his hand before Zucco slowly pulled it back, “You’re probably wondering what you’re parents did to die,”

“Maybe,” Dick spat out after a moment of silence and Zucco laughed once more.

“Relax, they always wonder why. In reality, your parents did nothing wrong, just a little casualty of someone else's mistake. Your beloved trope leader chose to risk your parents lives rather than pay me a small fee,” He paused slightly as he took another large step towards Dick. “I was at the castle to tell the knights about an associate of mine who owed me a bit of money. Well, not anymore seeing as they think he’s the one who infiltrated the castle,”

“Why are you telling me this?” Dick asked as his hands shook. He wanted to run, he needed to run, but he couldn’t. He had to stay long enough for the guards to come, he could only hope they came sooner rather than later. 

“I was also at the castle to see how I would get back in to finish the job. You were the only one who could point me to the murder,” Zucco paused for a moment as he brushed back his jacket. He smiled as the metal from the numerous knives that were tucked away, strapped into sewn-in pockets. They glinted against his rings as he inspected them all closely before he reached into it and removed one. The point was quickly turned towards Dick as Zucco tilted his head to the side slightly. “But little did I know you’d come right to me,” 

Suddenly Zucco lunged forward, the blade nicked his shoulder as Dick leaped out of the way. His back hit the wall hard as his eyes shot towards the main street before back to Zucco, he stumbled forwards slightly without Dick’s body there to stop his movement. He stepped forward frantically for a moment before he straightened his back out and turned towards Dick. A small, twisted smile sat on his face as his eyes latched onto Dicks. Determination was clear in his eyes, a strong twisted and sickening determination to finish what he had started. He scoffed slightly as he scanned Dick up and down. It was clear he hadn’t anticipated much of a fight, but Dick wouldn’t go down without one. 

“You do know it would make this a lot easier on the both of us if you just stayed still,” He growled as he moved forwards once more. Dick watched as the arm swung towards him and he had just enough time to slip out of the way. Zucco didn’t seem accustomed to an adversary his size and Dick didn’t long to give him the chance to do so. As the man turned towards him once more he backed up quickly, careful as to not trip over his feet as he got as much room between them as he could. He just needed more time, enough time for the guards to arrive. Dicks mind went blank as he attempted to desperately find something that would give him that, then he found it. 

“What do you think you know about me?” He asked as he hopped from one foot to the other in an attempt to keep Zucco distracted and also have him ready to move at a moment's notice. “I mean clearly you think you know something. What that something is I don’t know but you have something,” 

“If you’re trying to stall it won’t help you,” He laughed as he paused. He gestured towards Dick with the knife lazily as he continued. “But I know all about your family's little secret. Although I guess it’s just yours now,” Dick rolled out of the way from an attack as he pressed himself up against the opposite wall. His feet slowly shifted as he crept towards the street. 

Footsteps thundered on the ground as he heard voices shouting at them. Zucco looked up, his attention drawn to the men on the street and away from Dick for only a moment. But a moment was all that he needed. Quickly he shot out, his back arched slightly as he flipped behind him. His foot shot out and collided with the back of his leg harshly and Zucco crumpled to the ground, unable to step forward for Dick had planted his other foot in front of him. He watched as the man's hands hit the ground but they did little to soften his fall. His head collided into the ground with a thud as his body suddenly went limp. 

Dicks head shot up and he stumbled back quickly as he saw the guards charge towards him. Panic flashed across his face but they paid him no mind. Their attention solely focused on the now unconscious man. Slowly he crept around them, his back pressed up against the wall to avoid them before he finally passed them. The second he stepped out and onto the main road he felt someone slam into him. He looked up slightly as arms wrapped around him tightly. Strong arms held him close before he pulled away slightly, his vision obscured by their soft green shirt and red fiery hair. 

“What were you thinking?” Babs chastised as she looked down at him. Worry clear on her face as the corners of her mouth stretched into a relieved smile. “He could have killed you!”

“Sorry?” Dick asked as he smiled. They stared at each other for a moment more before they began to laugh, a relieved almost maniacal laughter as tears filled their eyes. They both knew what they had done was reckless at best and could have been deadly, but they had made it through. Exhaustion swept through his body as the last of the adrenaline dissipated. They gripped onto each other's arms tightly as they laughed. Suddenly their heads snapped up as they heard people calling their name. They looked over to see as the knights came galloping down the street, Bruce in the lead. 

“What happened?” Bruce asked intently as he dismounted his horse and walked over to them briskly, reins in hand. Dick squirmed slightly under his intense gaze as Babs met it head-on. 

“The man who the guards have apprehended is the one who killed Dicks parents,” She stated firmly. Her gaze unyielding even as her father ran over to them. 

“You thought it would be a good idea to go after him yourself?” Jim asked furiously as he stared at her in disbelief. 

“He would have gotten away if we hadn’t!” She crossed her arms in front of herself with practice and ease. She seemed ready to defend her point and Dick could tell that she wasn’t planning on backing down. 

“You could have-” Jim cut himself off as he ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. “We’ll talk about this later,” She smiled over at him once more before he reached out and took his hand. Jim began to gently lead her back to his horse and they talked intently, just quiet enough that Dick couldn’t hear but the wide smile on her face told him all he needed to know. 

“That was very brave of you,” Bruce said after a moment of silence. Dick looked over to him in surprise as he continued. “I do wish you would have come to me about it but brave nonetheless,”

“Thank you,” Dick stared down at his shoes slightly. Bruce turned his back to mount his horse once more and was about to place his foot in the stirrups as he continued to speak but Dick wasn’t listening.

Suddenly the world around him began to spin. Bruce's face became blurred and it sounded as if someone had yelled something but he couldn’t make out what they said. His lips flapped open but no noise came out. His breath slipped out as the ground began to rush up to meet him. The once agonizing pain had dulled somewhat, he only felt cold. His eyes drooped closed as he fell. The wind rushed past him as his chest tightened up. He couldn’t help but wonder if this is how his parents felt, the knowledge about the ground that came closer with every second but no ability to change it. Part of him knew he should have been more alarmed, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to be. He was just so tired. Then he hit the ground.


	4. Stay Secret, Stay Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick is tired, every part of his very being seemed to be engulfed in pain. He knows how to stop it, he knows he should stop it, but he can't bring himself to do it. It's his parent's last wish and the only thing he's ever known versus his own survival. He doesn't know what to choose, but he may have no choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so due to the fact that each story sort of stands alone I decided to make this into a series!!! Each work will focus on a different character at a different time. So, for example, Jason's is next, it will take place a couple of years later and surrounding him. It's just a way to separate the story a bit because while there may be some overarching plot points, like the League of Assasins for example, each story has very different vibes. Dick's mainly focused on his time at the castle and coping with his parent's death while the beginning of Jason's will focus on his life on the street. Each story has a slightly different take on Gotham and my goal is that when you put them all together you can see all aspects of the city. I'm debating if I want to give Stephanie and Cass their own stories but that will all determine on how much I end up developing their plot. As you can tell I love to talk about my writing and if you search through the comments on any of my works you can see me rambling to someone about it. I love talking to you guys and the comments really mean the world to me. Every time I see that I got one I can't help but smile, and I see if you left more than one. Hi, you're amazing.  
> If you don't want to leave a comment but still want to talk or ask a question you can find me at capttain-emo on Tumblr!!!  
> And as always thank you to my amazing beta Elise who is the piece of hair I used to floss my teeth with but then it broke off because apparently you're not supposed to floss your teeth with hair and now I just have a piece of hair dangling from my mouth so what are you going to do about That Brenda!

Every fiber of Dick’s being felt tired. It was an exhaustion that he had never felt before. It wasn’t like the emotional exhaustion he had felt earlier, this was different. Even from behind his shut eyes he felt tired. His energy seemed to have been sapped away and he felt helpless. His breathing seemed slower as he fought to force his eyes open. When he finally mustered up the strength to slowly lift his eyelids, his chest began to tighten up. His muscles felt tight and protested slightly as he frantically forced himself to sit up. He felt his lungs as they rose and fell quicker than he knew to be healthy, but no matter how hard he tried he could only grasp a small amount of air each time. The pungent scent of plants and herbs only heightened his distress. He scanned his eyes around the room as he attempted to gather his bearings. The room seemed familiar, almost as if he had been there in a dream. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling and along one of the walls as dim sunlight streamed through a window near his bed. He knew he wasn’t at the castle, but he couldn’t think of any other place that would have a window like that. His head throbbed violently, a strong pulse of pain that followed the beat of his heart.

The drab gray walls that enclosed the small room were lined by counters, jars and pots covered the surface neatly. He could faintly hear voices coming from behind the large oak door across from him but he couldn’t make out the words. One of the voices almost sounded like Bruce’s but Dick knew he was only imagining it. The king had more important things to do than visit him wherever he was. A strong numb sensation washed over his back and he found himself wondering how long it had been since he had shifted into his wings. It had almost been two weeks since his parents had, since the accident. Dick had never gone that long before. He knew there were risks associated with that but he never knew exactly what they were. Slowly and carefully he began to move his legs off of the small bed. He only managed to get one leg off of the bed before he had to stop. His hands shook slightly from exertion as he gasped for air. Suddenly the voices from outside stopped as the door swung open. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Dick. You’re still very weak and you need to rest,” His head snapped up painfully as a woman walked through the door. She smiled softly at him and he shifted back onto the bed. 

“Who are you?” He asked quietly as she crossed over to him and sat on a small stool by the bed. She observed him for a moment before she spoke.

“My name is Leslie Thompkins, I’m a doctor. You came to visit me your second day in the castle,” He looked around at the room once more as details fell into place. He didn’t remember most of the first few days after his parents died, it almost seemed like a thick fog had covered him. “Do you know what happened?”

“I,” Dick began before he trailed off. He could remember being at the castle with Babs and then following the man through the streets. He remembered the look on the man's face when he saw Dick and the yelling. Then he walked out of the building and things seemed to grow hazy until the memories were lost for good. He remembered falling, falling down to the stone below. His head bent down as he looked away from the doctor. “No, I’m sorry,”

“That's alright, you fainted. If Bruce hadn’t caught you, you would have hit the ground,” She said gently before she hesitated. Heat rose to his face at the thought of the king lunging to catch him. She hesitated for a moment as Dick began to pick at the skin around his nails anxiously. 

“Do you know what made you fall?” His fingers froze as his back tensed up. Slowly he inhaled deeply as he attempted to clear his face of the panic that surged through him although he knew it would be hopeless. Thoughts raced through his head as he attempted desperately to find something, anything, to tell her. 

“No?” He said weakly. The statement resembled a question more than anything else as his voice shook slightly, his eyes fixated on his hands as he felt her looking at him. Every fiber of his being wanted to turn and look at her, to see what she knew. But he could tell that somehow she knew, and he couldn’t bear to see the disgust that would coat her face. 

“Dick, I know,” Terror gripped him as he quickly began to move. He swung his legs over the side of the bed before he pushed himself off. He had to get out of there, had to run. If he didn’t stay hidden he wouldn’t stay safe. Dick had spent his entire life attempting to hide it from someone and now he didn’t know what to do. But he knew he had to run. The second his feet hit the ground his knees gave out from underneath him. He grabbed at the bed as he desperately tried to stay upright. Then her hand was on his shoulder. He twisted and fought against the strong arms that had gripped him. His head felt light but still he couldn’t stop fighting. 

“I’m not going to hurt you! Just stay still or you’re going to make it worse!” Slowly his struggles subsided as he pushed himself to the corner of the bed and against the wall. His hand pressed up against the cold wall as he blinked slowly in an attempt to clear his vision. Leslie stood next to the bed, her hands raised in surrender as she watched him carefully. “I’m not going to hurt you. Dick, how long has it been since you have shifted?”

“Does it matter?” He asked weakly, his voice almost muffled by his knees that he had pulled up tightly to his chest. 

“Yes it does,” She said slowly, a faint look of sadness on her face. She slowly sat back down in the chair, her movements slow and deliberate. “See what’s happening, is your body isn’t built to not shift. The longer you go without shifting the more energy it takes to hold it back. You’re in so much pain because your body physically can’t hold it back any longer. All the calories you’ve eaten have gone to hold it back, you’re starving,”

“Oh,” He breathed out. He knew that he was much thinner than before but he, and everyone else, had only assumed it was grief. Her words sank in slowly as his eyes sunk lower and lower, his showers curled up as if to avoid her gaze. “Two weeks,”

“You mean to tell me you haven’t shifted in two weeks?” Leslie cried out quietly as she gently reached out and took his hand in hers. 

“What else am I supposed to do,” Tears began to pour down his face as sobs began to wrack his small frame. The tears that he had been forcing back since he first spotted the man had built up until they burst out of him like someone had opened the floodgates. 

“Dick, you need to tell Bruce,” His head shot up as he stared at her in shock. 

“I, I can’t tell him, He’s the king! I can just wait until I leave,” He trailed off slightly as Leslie stared at him. Dick knew that he needed to leave. The longer he sat there the likelihood that Zucco had woken up became more and more likely. He also knew that the second Zucco woke up he would tell the guards about him. It would be better to leave before they found out, unless they already knew.

“He may not show it often, but Bruce cares for you a lot more than you think and you are actively hurting yourself,” Slowly she rose to her seat. Dick watched as she gently placed the stool off to the side before she crossed the room towards the door. As her hand rested gently against the door she turned back to Dick. “I’m not going to tell Bruce because it’s not my place to do so, that's up to you. But I don’t think it would go the way you would have anticipated,”

Dick sat in silence for a moment as her words sunk in. He was told to keep it a secret, he had to keep it a secret. However, when she had found out she didn’t call for the guards or have him taken away. The conversation repeated over and over in his head on loop as the door shut quietly behind her only for it to be slammed open only seconds later. Dicks head shot up as he saw Bruce run into the room quickly. Relief crossed the man's face quickly as his eyes fell onto Dick. He crossed over to him quickly, his eyes scanned the area for somewhere to sit before he eventually sat down softly next to Dick. The bed dipped slightly from the extra weight as he smiled down at Dick. 

“Hey chum, how are you feeling?” Dick was taken back by the man's soft tone. He quickly raised a hand to his face to wipe away the tears that had begun to slowly dry on his face. 

“I’m ok,” He said quietly as Bruce tilted his head slightly. 

“Dr. Thompkins didn’t tell me anything if you were wondering. She prefers the patient to tell someone themself,” He paused for a second, his face showed clear confusion as he attempted to choose his words carefully. “Is there anything you wanted to tell me?”

“You,” Dick trailed off as he heard his mother's voice as it repeated in his head. ‘Stay secret, stay safe,’ but he couldn’t. His attempt to stay secret had only led to more issues. He remembered the boy, the horrified look on his face as he cried out for someone to help him. He remembered his screams as they could be heard from streets away. But Leslie hadn’t reacted, she knew and yet he still sat there. No guards had rushed into the room to take him away. He could feel Bruce as he sat next to him, concern visible on his face. His mother had told him to stay hidden but surely she wouldn’t have wanted this, would she? Thoughts flooded his brain faster than he could even understand them and by the time he had noticed the silence had fully engulfed them he had already made up his mind. Slowly he took a deep breath before he looked up to Bruce, his silent tears fell down his face as he whispered. Dick knew that his choices had come down to the guards telling Bruce or doing it himself, and he was so tired of hiding,“You have to promise you won’t get mad,”

“I won’t,” Bruce promised, his voice tinged with confusion. Dick breathed in deeply as he gently lifted his shirt over his head. His shoulders curled in slightly as he noticed the bones that had become more prevalent since he first had arrived. He kept his eyes focused on the bed as he slowly eased the tension that had consumed his every waking moment. The constant focus that had separated him from his surroundings slightly for the past week dissipated and his mind was finally calm. His muscles ached slightly as they shifted, but he could feel the tension ease. His wings unfurled slightly as he frantically pushed himself away from Bruce. Dick could only faintly see the blue feathers as they wrapped around him protectively. His vision became obscured by tears once more as he curled in on himself. For the first time since his parents had died he finally felt like himself again. He knew he should have been terrified but still, he felt somewhat relieved, he felt like himself again. 

“They are...beautiful,” Bruce breathed out as Dick looked up at him quickly, his face almost hidden by the wings. His blank face that hid all other emotions from the limelight seemed to almost be broken as cracks of awe and surprise seeped through. Head tilted ever so slightly he examined the feather closely as Dick watched cautiously. 

“You’re not mad?” He asked quietly as he peeked around the feathers. Bruce seemed to be shaken out of his awe as he looked at Dick intensely. 

“I am rather shocked, but not mad,” He clarified gently before he paused. “Could I touch them?” Dick stared at him in shock before he nodded hesitantly. Bruce moved closer, his movements slow and deliberate as to not startle Dick. His hand brushed against the blue feathers before he looked down to the white lining that pressed against Dick.

“They used to call me their little Robin,” Dick said softly as he followed Bruce's gaze. 

“Aren’t robins red and black?” Bruce asked as his finger traced the line which separated the blue feathers from the white, the back from the front. 

“Around here, yeah, but they had to travel really far to help mom give birth,” He broke off with a sob and he smiled slightly, his eyes squeezed shut as tears spilled out. “She told me that my wings looked like theirs,” His shoulders shook slightly as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He leaned into Bruce's chest as the older man ran his fingers through Dicks hair. 

“I miss them,”

“I know,” Bruce said softly as Dick continued to cry. His breaths became more ragged by the second. 

“I don’t know where to go anymore,” Dick sniffled softly before he began again. “The troupe didn’t want me and they left. Now Zucco is caught and I won’t even be able to stay in Gotham. I don’t know where to go,” Bruce pulled away from him slightly as his eyes flickered across Dicks. He took in every aspect of Dicks face before he spoke. His words carefully and slow as if he had thought them through for days. 

“You are welcome to stay here if you would like to,” Dick shot back, his eyes shot up to meet Bruces as his lips parted slightly. He opened his mouth to say something but he couldn’t find his breath. 

“Do you really mean that?” He asked as he wiped his eyes. 

“I do. I’ve thought it through since you first started living here,” He paused and Dick almost could have sworn that he looked nervous. “If you wanted to of course,” 

“Do I even have any other options?”

“Well if you didn’t want to stay here we could always accommodate to find you somewhere else to stay. I do not mean to alarm you, however considering your...gift it would be unknown how safe you would be,” Dick nodded dully. He wanted to stay with Bruce but still, part of him felt unsure. Everything was so different from what he had known and the thought of staying in the unfamiliar place was terrifying, but he didn’t have any other options. 

“I think I’d like that,” He said with a small smile as he looked up to Bruce. 

“I will have Alfred prepare your room for a permanent stay. We will also get you fitted for more clothes as soon as you are up for it. The kingdom will know at some point about you but they don’t have to know about your wings if you do not want them to,” Bruce finished but it only left Dick more confused.

“Why would I tell them? Isn’t magic illegal?” Bruce hesitated his face became cold once more, however, Dick wasn’t alarmed. Even in the two weeks he had known him he had begun to notice the differences in his face. He knew when he was putting up a cold demeanor and when he was determined, this was the latter. 

“I do not agree with many things that my grandfather did for Gotham, his ban on magic is one of them. I have spent a majority of my time focusing on the streets but it has become apparent that the law needs to be redacted,” Bruce began. He looked at Dick for a moment before he hesitantly took his hand as if he wasn’t entirely sure of what he was doing. Dick didn’t mind. “I have consulted with the other leaders in the Justice League Alliance and they all agreed. Redacting the law will not cause the public's perception of people with gifts to change however it will, hopefully, over time diminish that,” 

A knock at the door caused them both to look up suddenly. Dick looked over at Bruce in fear. He didn’t have to say anything, they both knew the consequences that would occur if someone were to find out. Slowly he shifted under the blankets and pulled it up and over his shoulders. His wings caused massive lumps and distortion to the blanket but he could only hope that the person couldn’t see him. Bruce cracked the door open and stuck his head out into the hallway for a moment before he opened the door further. He positioned his body so that anyone in the hallway could not see inside as someone entered. Dick felt a flood of panic wash over him before he saw Alfred's smiling face as he walked towards him. He glanced over at Bruce before he slowly pulled the blanket back. His wings drooped over the cloth as he looked over at Alfred anxiously. 

“My my,” The older man as he walked closer, a look of awe on his face. “They are quite lovely Master Dick,”

“Thank you,” Dick smiled shyly, unsure what to do with the sudden attention brought upon them. Alfred paused as he stood next to the bed, his posture as still as always but Dick could see the kind look on his face.

“Are you able to fly?”

“I’ve never been able to shift outside,” Dick admitted as Bruce walked towards him, a frown on his face. 

“Once we get everything sorted out you are going to learn how to fly,” Bruce stated as he sat back down on the side of the bed. 

“When are you going to tell people?” He asked curiously. A small smile spread across his face at the thought of flying, the wind rushing through his feathers. He had dreamt about flying his whole life but he never thought it would be able to come true. 

“It depends on who you want to know, to start. And once the law is undone then it is up to you,”

“Who would I want to know?” He turned his head to the side slightly as Alfred looked down in amusement. 

“Perhaps young Ms. Gordon? She has practically run herself ragged with worry in the past few hours. She was so distraught that her father was unable to remove her from the castle and she is currently resting in one of the bedrooms,” 

“Oh,” Instantly Dick felt terrible for having caused her so much pain, however, he still smiled softly. He had assumed she only talked to him out of obligation, but this proved otherwise. It was an odd feeling, having so many people worried about his well being even when he was sure he had no one left, but he wasn’t about to complain. “What about her dad? He’s a knight wouldn’t that mean he’d uphold the rules and stuff?” 

“Jim is very trustworthy,” Bruce assured him. “He helped take care of me after my parents were killed and he adamantly opposes the law. It would only make sense that he were to raise Barbara the same,”

“Ok,” Dick said with a smile as he looked over to Bruce. His hand rose to his face as he quietly stifled a yawn.

“The doctor said that you would be tired, it’s best that you get some rest,” Bruce said as he ran a hand through Dick feathers gently. His eyelids drooped shut slowly as he rested his head against Bruce’s chest. The almost rhythmic pattern of his fingers through his feathers comforted him in a way that he didn’t realize could still happen. As he slowly drifted off to sleep a small smile spread across his face. Maybe nothing would be as it used to be. Maybe he could still feel lost and unsure of his place, but at least he had a family to be by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really loved writing this fic and I hope you guys enjoyed it!!! Each Batkid will have their moment to shine so if you want some good Duke content (I just finished reading We Are Robin and I am starved for Duke content so I will make my own), his story won't be for a little while but it is coming!!!!! Keep yourself safe and go practice some self-care, drink a glass of water, put down your electronics for a moment, and eat something if you haven't in three hours or are feeling hungry. You deserve it <3


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